Obama urges Republicans to name political donors

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Obama urges Republicans to name political donors
24 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama Saturday urged Republican leaders in Congress not to block a bill aimed at reducing the role of big corporations and foreign entities in domestic elections.

"This should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue," Obama said in his weekly radio address. "This is an issue that goes to whether or not we will have a democracy that works for ordinary Americans -- a government of, by, and for the people."

The president was referring to a landmark decision earlier this year by the US Supreme Court that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in elections could not be limited under the First Amendment to the constitution.

Obama said the ruling had allowed big corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence US elections without even having to reveal the real players behind the effort.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100821/ts_alt_afp/usvotepoliticsmoneyobama

[Judi Lynn]

1. Obama warns of 'corporate takeover'

Obama warns of 'corporate takeover'
Published: Aug. 21, 2010 at 6:01 AM

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Saturday warned of a "corporate takeover" of democracy and said Republicans want the public kept "in the dark" on campaign funding.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, the Democratic president found fault with a Supreme Court ruling that permits corporations, unions and other organizations to spend "unlimited amounts of money to influence our elections."

"They can buy millions of dollars worth of TV ads -- and worst of all, they don't even have to reveal who is actually paying for them," he said.

"A group can hide behind a phony name like 'Citizens for a Better Future,' even if a more accurate name would be 'Corporations for Weaker Oversight.'"

More:
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/08/21/Obama-warns-of-corporate-takeover/UPI-72881282384860/

[nevergiveup]

7. K&R+

[INdemo]

10. Does Obama really know who he is dealing with here?..

..These are big business reps, corrupt Republicans that had their way with the SCOTUS and this President expects them to vote for legislation that will weaken their stronghold. Is this President really that naive? His advisors should remind him that he is not dealing with the ILL State legislature here.

[DFLforever]

52. He's hasn't the slightest idea.

Just a neophyte never having dealt with Wall Street or the Mega Banks or international finance or you name it. :eyes:


Hint: this is directed to the electorate...not to TPTB.

[Demeter]

25. You First, Mr. President

Be a Leader!

HOW much did Goldman Sachs swing your way?

[flyarm]

33. "a government of, by, and for the people," and Goldman Sachs , and Bank Of America , and BP oil..eom

[donheld]

51. Delete the word people and you got it.

We the people have nothing to do with it any more.

[boppers]

49. $994,795. His top contributor organization gave him $1,591,395.

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638

University of California $1,591,395
Goldman Sachs $994,795
Harvard University $854,747
Microsoft Corp $833,617
Google Inc $803,436
Citigroup Inc $701,290
JPMorgan Chase & Co $695,132
Time Warner $590,084
Sidley Austin LLP $588,598
Stanford University $586,557
National Amusements Inc $551,683
UBS AG $543,219
Wilmerhale Llp $542,618
Skadden, Arps et al $530,839
IBM Corp $528,822
Columbia University $528,302
Morgan Stanley $514,881
General Electric $499,130
US Government $494,820
Latham & Watkins $493,835

edit: rm stray comma

[defendandprotect]

43. Good step by Obama .... and "New Dems" and "DLC Dems" have to go --

if we don't want to be hypocrites about getting rid of corporate influences

over our elected officials!!

[JTFrog]

2. K&R!

[activa8tr]

3. I wonder if any Tea Bagger will understand what he means. You know..

the ones that are against Net Neutrality?
The ones who think it would be JUST FINE with them if four or five big companies controlled the internet?
Those types.

[cosmicone]

5. wat duz tat muslum commie blak canyon man no you morans?

I git all my infurmashun from Glen Beck whose mostest smart wit more bigger brane

[activa8tr]

8. You made me laugh!

[go west young man]

4. Link to Whitehouse weekly radio address:

www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/08/21/weekly-address-no-corporate-takeover-our-democracy

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. When voters see that the rich Saudis are paying for Republicans

they won't be too impressed

[flyarm]

35. and democrats......... eom

[Rosa Luxemburg]

39. but Demos aren't worried about Muslims like the Repubs are

[judesedit]

9. Hopefully, wikileaks hackers will give Obama some help on this and expose the donors to both parties

Our Supreme Court was corrupted during Bushco just as the rest of the country was being destroyed. We are no longer "America", home of the free. We have become bigoted, fascist "Amerika" and are on a steady road to decline if we don't recognize this fact quickly. Americans should be very afraid. This alone should prompt them to vote for a democrat. At least there's a chance in hell of our survival with them.

[Dinger]

11. Urging Them? what The Fuck Good Will That Do?

Maybe if he says "pretty please." What a fucking joke, "urging."

[Arkana]

13. You're right--he should burn down their houses and threaten their families instead.

He's a Democratic President--he has no power over the Republican caucus.

[Dinger]

15. Oooooo, you're clever (nt)

[TheEuclideanOne]

20. I call bullshit.

So, in your opinion, Obama has played the perfect game. Nothing that can be done here. Keep on the same path, right? If you were Obama, would you repeat the exact same actions over again from day one? If not, what would you do differently?

[Arkana]

44. I'm not the one who complained initially.

In my opinion, there is very little you can do to convince a solid block of legislators to help govern when they've already decided to be petulant little children. My question is: when it comes to Republicans, what would YOU like Obama to do? Jump up and down? Get angry and punch things?

[Iowa]

45. Nonsense...

He can be ruthless. Separate one from the herd, focus on that one person, and try to make an example of him. That would involve naming a name, hammering away at any perceived wrong-doing, and generally being a mean, ruthless son-of-a-bitch in pursuit of the common good. These repeated wimpy appeals to the opposition are pathetic.

[Arkana]

48. When your opposition owns the media this is a task that is virtually impossible.

And it would look petty and petulant. Know why? Cause it IS petty and petulant.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. He should disclose his own corporate donors first

[Dinger]

34. Yes, That'd Be Cool With Me (nt)

[boppers]

50. You don't think he's disclosed his own?

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638

He's at 90.2%, so I guess there's still some room for improvement?

[TheEuclideanOne]

19. Exactly

Yes, totally the wrong approach (although I have not heard this speech). If their stated goal is to make him fail, he should at some point start behaving like it. I think that he has seen enough examples of it implemented successfully to know that urging them will not work. You can play the victim only so many times and at some point people will point out that you are part of your own demise. If you walk up to somebody on the street and they rob you, people will feel sympathy for you. If THE EXACT SAME THING happens repeatedly, people will no longer say "poor you", they will say that it is your fault for walking up to the same guy since you know what the outcome will be each time. At some point they will not have a lack of sympathy, but will say "Are you a fucking idiot!?!? Why do you keep walking up to the same guy each time if you know he will take your money each time? This is YOUR fault!"

[Dinger]

21. Perfect

Good point. Deserves a thread of it's own.

[Iowa]

46. Well said.

[Dinger]

12. Maybe A "Strongly=Worded Letter". Yeah, That's The Ticket (nt)

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

[Bitwit1234]

16. And more so we realize we must have a "miracle" to

change our Supreme Court and take it out of the hands of the five "radical activist republicans". Who lied repeatedly when interviewed before they were approved for the Court. Alito and Roberts have shown the country just how corrupt and partisan they are. I wonder how much money it took for the five of them to make this outlandish decision. One that is not legal, one that was political to the core. I hope if there is a God he rights the wrong he let happen to our great country. I can not for the life of me add One Nation Under God, as long as republicans and tea bags are allowed to disgrace and ruin our country.

[onehandle]

17. Good luck with that. nt

[Mnpaul]

18. Good luck with that

Republicans in Mn are trying to undo the law that busted Target
http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/101205044.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

[veganlush]

22. the Democrats

..need to turn the volume way up on this....these issues should be shouted from the housetops, but I don't see it happening unfortunately....

[Bodhi BloodWave]

31. I would sadly enough have to agree with you

seems a number of dems(on du) are more interested in attacking Obama on this instead of trying to pressure congress to actually pass the bill

[Jefferson23]

23. Obama will likely be re-elected, and I would give just about anything

once that happens for him to push for public funded elections. Has any former president ever addressed this issue in their memoirs
with a deep level of candor? I'm aware of no such revelations. He could exit his final term a president who began the push back
for reform that could change a nation and give it back to...."We the People"

[niceypoo]

27. But, but...

...the political climate! Bipartisanship! Reaching across the asile!! Healing with the GOP!! Let the finance committee write the bill!! Include all the republican ideas!!

[flyarm]

36. hell he didn't want publicly funded elections when he ran! ..get real! eom

[Jefferson23]

42. No kidding, and when he is done what better way for him to exit but to

reveal with a degree of candor the influence of money must end? He didn't create the process by which we elect, but he could
be the president to bring out the conversation and push for it. I am speaking for generations to come, this insane money infiltration has
got to end, we as Democrats have to be the ones to begin the process.

I am real btw, I just wish our elected officials were.

[niceypoo]

24. Everybody knows what the republican reaction will be

NO NO NO NO NO!

You gonna bank on 'bipartisanship' again Barack? Everytime you get burned.

[orbitalman]

26. Yah, Sure. Like we can hope this will happen...

Like how many times does Obama need to learn the Repugs are gonna help propel a Democratic solution?
:sarcasm:

[L0oniX]

28. When is he going to accept that repukes are enemies and not to be compromised with?

[DFLforever]

53. After the civil war begins?

that what typically follows unwillingness to compromise - particularly with 'enemies'.

[L0oniX]

54. Yea like the repukes ever reached across the aisle during the Bush

[EC]

29. He's setting up the vote

This is so when it comes to a vote again, he can point at the repubs and say you guys want to hide your donors...he doesn't expect they'll do anything he asks...he's just throwing it out there as a set-up...

[blue sky at night]

32. I want to say this has already happened....

How many of our elected members of Congress actually give a shit about middle class anything??? And the idea of urging the Repukes to do anything is like asking an Asshole not to be an Asshole...its in their genes. I spoke to my Right-Wingnut Brother...spoke is a loose term here, and to him all was right with the world until the Muslim Ni**er was elected, now all has gone to hell. I asked what he would do to bring back jobs to America, his answer was instant; give tax cuts to the wealthy. End of arguement, may as well debate him about the color of the sky.

[groundloop]

37. Good move. When the repubs block this the nation will know why.

Of course the President can't MAKE the repubs disclose their donors, or allow this bill to come up for a vote. But this is good pressure delivered in a smart way.

[Phlem]

38. Wow

The typical strongly worded message that amounts to nothing, but, let's us know what the future will bring.

Feh


-p

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MikeW]

41. hmm ... well then I guess we need to do the same fair is fair.

[Ladyinblack]

47. Can a terrorist group hide

Can a terrorist group hide as a cooperation under this change
in the constitution?  And consequently influence our
elections.